AJ Syles Used to Hate His Name

AJ Styles recently visited with Bailey and Southside of 100.5 FM – an Atlanta based radio show. The Phenomenal One covered a variety of subjects, and for that, listen to the entire interview here.

But for the most interesting bit, AJ Styles opened up about what his character almost was:

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“I wanted to wear a mask, I loved those guys. I’m so glad that didn’t happen, I wanted to wear a mask and call myself ‘Velocity’, what a terrible name. I didn’t have a name. Everybody always called me ‘AJ’ anyway, so I stuck with AJ and then, (the promoter) is like, ‘Yeah, you’re tagging with Damien Still, we need a last name. Styles! Go!’ That’s it. That’s how the name (came) about, AJ Styles, I hated it. I hated Styles for a really long time.”

On possibly changing his name in WWE:

“I didn’t say anything about changing it, I just assumed it would probably happen, but a year prior, maybe a couple of months prior, Samoa Joe had (gone) to NXT and they didn’t change his name, so I thought, ‘Well, maybe there’s a chance’. But, at the same time, I was like, ‘Ah, I don’t care what they call me. Velocity, if you want to call me that, whatever.’ But I’m glad they stuck with AJ Styles and it actually worked out for everybody.”

It certainly did. It sounds like Styles was open, if not hoping to change his name once he moved up to WWE. In all honesty, it’s kind of surprising WWE didn’t make that move. Typically the wrestling conglomerate likes to wash their new acquisitions clean of their old promotions. Perhaps they believed there would be more money and recognition in keeping Styles’ name from IMPACT Wrestling.

The idea of Styles being a Luchador named Velocity is a funny thought. Chances are, he would have been fantastic in that role, but hey, we would have never gotten to see that infamous soccer mom haircut he rocks.

AJ Styles earned one of the most explosive “rookie” years in WWE history. Here’s to more of that.

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